It can be devastating to lose a pet. Our beloved dogs and cats just get away and vanish without a trace, and while you can take steps like searching the neighborhood and putting up missing pet flyers, sometimes there’s just nothing else you can do—except to accept that they’re gone for good.

But long after giving up hope, one family got an unexpected miracle.

Sue Zelitsky, from Wanaque, New Jersey, was the proud and loving owner of a cat named Jimmy. Always an adventurous feline, Jimmy was no stranger to exploring the neighborhood. He’d play in the backyard, go on walks, and visit neighbors for treats.

The family searched all over the neighborhood, put up signs, and contacted police and local shelters. Still, nothing.

As time went on, it became less and less likely that Jimmy would ever be found. Two and a half years passed since the cat’s disappearance. Jimmy was already an old cat when he vanished, so it seemed incredibly unlikely that they’d ever see him again.

“The new kitties, who are 2, welcomed him, and everyone is one big happy family.”

The family suspects that Jimmy, who’s known to sneak into vehicles, may have inadvertently hitched a ride out of town.

It would take nearly three years to make the journey home, but the family thanks the shelter for making the unlikely turn of events a reality—and hope it inspires families of missing pets to never give up.

“We are over the moon,” Zelitsky told The Dodo.

“It’s the greatest story ever and almost too good to be true … but it is!”